No... You're Not ;)

Our take on the #HamletBatch situation

I have so many feelings on this situation at the moment and most of these are directed towards certain areas of the British press.

It seems that just because Mr Cumberbatch is taking the lead role, all rules need no longer apply. Certain members of the press appear to have forgotten themselves: first preview reviews, photography during performances, slanderous remarks about those who have paid their money for tickets.

I’m sorry, but did we slip into an alternate universe at some point! The press behave worse than the ‘rabid fans’ that they are so keen to label. Obviously everyone needs a ‘label’ for the world to function normally….of course how silly of me.

London. home of Theatreland, has upheld a particular type of etiquette when it comes to all things ‘show’. Hence the establishment of a certain thing called ‘a PRESS night’ and why production company PR people still have jobs.

Theatre is a wonderful opportunity to discover and experience something live. In my opinion there is another else like good theatre.

Theatre lives and breathes emotion. The mark of a good stage actor is one that can take every single member of that audience with them on a journey and allows them to experience that with them. If that audience leaves feeling that they have experienced something together then you have achieved the mark of a great storyteller.

There is a new(ish) culture emerging both here in London and across the Pond, on Broadway, of screen actors treading the boards. Personally, I feel this is a marvelous concept, the difference in experience from watching someone on a screen and experiencing a performance in the flesh are worlds apart. Everyone should experience that at least once.

With that preamble being said, here is what is bothering me with what is happening at the moment:

1. Press portray of rabid fans/traveling fans/Cumberbitches etc etc

Why is it such an issue if fans were drawn to the play because of the person playing the lead? Surely this offers playwrights/directors/actors the opportunity to expand their work into a wider audience. It may offer someone an experience that they have not yet had. God forbid this allow someone to experience Shakespeare for the first time. Even more so if they are then inspired to see more works. Obviously this would be a very, very bad thing.

I, like so many others, purchased tickets over a year ago for this particular production - I am no stranger to the theatre or to Shakespeare, neither is my partner who I bought the tickets for. Hamlet is his favourite Shakespearean play (mine is Othello, FYI) and we both enjoy strong productions with good acting. We happen to think that Mr Cumberbatch is a good actor and Ms Turner puts on excellent productions. But apparently only rabid fans desperate to catch a glimpse of said actor want to see this show?! Oh dear.

2. Early reviews and photography

Poor, poor show here from the British papers ( yes, you know who you are). This is just unacceptable, and completely unfair on all of the people involved with the production. I would love theatres/production companies to ban certain papers from future press nights in protest. This is simply not how we do things. These individuals have behaved in a manner worse than what they predicted from this type of audience. You are ruining the whole experience. It would seem that it is only the press behaving in a frenzied manner over Mr Cumberbatch. The fans who have attended have behaved well, there has been no shrieking or screaming from the stalls, mobbing of theatre doors (you get the idea!). They have behaved respectfully - that is more than can be said for the press. Does it really matter if someone wants to queue for a ticket? No one makes a fuss if someone queues for hours on end to get front row at a concert.

Did Hiddleston fans ruin the production of Coriolanus for other theatre-goers inside the Donmar, or how about people flocking to see James McAvoy in The Ruling Class, or any other actor - male or female - in any other production for that matter? Simple answer is no, they didn’t.

I am so disappointed in how they seem determined to taint and tarnish people’s experience, or perception of an experience. Spare a thought for the wider cast and how hard they have worked. Of course, it is no secret that this is the role that Cumberbatch longed to play. Don’t ruin that for him, the cast, the production team or the audience. It is simply a poor show to do so.

*climbs down off soapbox*

PS: To everyone going to see Hamlet, i hope you have a wonderful experience despite this crazy business

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